Cherry Blossoms
by sh0rtcake
Summary: OVERDUE UPDATE I'll make you a proposal, how about that? Sakura trepasses the Love Laws that binds three people together, driving two people to the extremes of their character.
1. Cherry Blossoms

**Disclaimer: The story's characters do not belong to me and I definitely do not profit. **

**Author Notes: This is a midnight idea that just begged to be written. I don't exactly know where it is going but if you do, drop me a note on plot, story, pairings anything. That would make me a happy girl.**

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**Cherry Blossoms**

Kakashi took another sip of his drink, his ears strained to hear the conversation between Naruto and Sakura, catching occasionally snatches of what they were saying. They had been in the room for an hour already and from the looks of it, having another one of their quarrels.

Sasuke, moody and brooding, as usual, sat some way beside him in the bar, fingers lazily twirling a cigarette that he would not smoke.

Since they had come out on missions as a teacher-student group, there had been endless troubles, Kakashi moaned quietly to himself, as he swigged another gulp of burning amber from his glass and swallowed gratefully. What in the world had possessed him to agree when the Fifth Hokage had gleefully suggested a new system of fulfilling tasks?

"It would be good experience," she reasoned, rolling a pair of dice in her hands and preparing to cast it in a bowl. Her face, almost fifty years old, was as unlined and taut as someone years younger, thanks to the spell she had put on her skin.

"We never had such a practice," Kakashi argued back.

"There are first times for everything," she countered, "Damn!" The dice was a low total count of three points and the habitual gambler groaned as she handed a string of coins to a triumphant Iruka who had been gambling with her.

"Besides," she spoke up, a devilish glint in her eyes, "won't you want to see what happens when the three of them are on missions together?"

The top ninja had not understood her sly words then but now he thought he was getting it. Since they began their trip through the village of Sky, Naruto and Sakura had been quarrelling almost every single night, leaving Kakashi to deal with an increasingly temperamental Sasuke.

"**_I hate you!" _**there was a loud scream from upstairs that jolted the whole bar. Kakashi winced as he placed the voice as Sakura's. Now there was no way they would leave without making a scene.

"**_Is it so difficult for you to say three words?" _**a deeper male voice hollered back.

"_**You don't understand!"**_

"_**Ya, I bloody well don't! How can we be lovers if you can't even say you love me!"**_

This revelation prompted whistles from the male crowd who were by now hanging off their every word. Even Sasuke was momentarily propelled out of his dark mood.

There was a loud slam and Naruto flew down the stairs, his face heavy with barely concealed anger. He shot a murderous look at the gaping men in the pub, "What the hell are you looking at!"

They quickly turned their gazes back to their beers and Naruto stalked out of the inn, the door crashing close behind him.

Kakashi sighed deeply and emptied his cup. Great. Now he had two highly emotional subordinates to deal with. They would probably throw daggers at each than at the enemies during battles.

"Go up and have a look at Sakura, won't you?" a quiet voice startled the older man out of his thoughts.

"What?" he asked, a look of puzzled astonishment on his face. Did Ice Popsicle Sasuke just show concern for his teammate? Kakashi blinked twice to make sure he was sober.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at his sensei and deadpanned coolly, "I said go and look at Sakura."

* * *

Outside the inn, the night air was stuffy and humid, unbearably sticky and stale. Naruto sniffed the air and smelt the underlying tangy scent of torrential rain to come.

He sighed and leapt nimbly onto the metal railing fencing up the lake opposite their inn. Lights from the streetlamps reflected themselves like little scones of fire in the murky waters, and Naruto took a little while to admire the scene.

Behind him the evening crowd surged, mingling noisily, chattering as they strolled on the streets. He felt the strange gaze of eyes on him and ignored them. His head was still fuming with rage, as Sakura's words reverberated in his ears again and again. Her face had been alight with fury and he had not been able to control his own temper.

Slightly guilty now, he saw himself yell at her, and then those words "I hate you!" pounded themselves into his heart and he felt an aching in his chest.

Why couldn't she say those three simple words to him? That had made him confused, angry and bewildered. They had been lovers for a while and they had shared a fair amount of themselves to the other yet Sakura had been unable to speak those words. Naruto raked a hand in frustration through his short, golden hair.

He simply did not understand the psyche of women sometimes. They wanted you to whisper sweet nothings to them every hour of the day yet they seemed so reluctant when it came to their turn. He wondered if anything strange had happened recently and shook his head.

It had all still been fine days ago when they first arrived at the Cherry Blossom Inn, the third in their travelling through the Sky Village. There had been no difference in their lovemaking at night and there had generally been a satisfied, happy Sakura.

Until a few days ago when Sakura suddenly became cold and indifferent, ignoring him and shot sarcastic, short replies to his questions. She pushed him off the bed at night and made him sleep on the floor and snapped at him if he even dared to touch her.

That had culminated and irritated him until they started quarrelling.

A sudden breeze, the type that precedes a storm, blew through the village and rustled Naruto's clothes. The young man relaxed slightly and tilted his head to look at the sky. It was ominous, bruise-coloured clouds bunched together, laced tightly so that no light from the moon peeked through. He couldn't see any stars at all, they were hidden behind the canopy of thick rain clouds.

"Hey boy," a squeaky voice sounded from behind.

Naruto turned around cautiously. An old man, an anxious look on his weathered face stared back.

"What do you want?"

The old man wrung his hands nervously, "I had such moments before in my life, boy, trust me I know how you feel. But this is no reason to commit such a thing!"

"What are you blabbering about?" the ninja was confused and just slightly irritated.

"Ah… tell me what happened, I may be able to help. Nothing is so bad that you have to kill yourself."

At that, Naruto burst into laughter, the first of the day. It felt good to release the tension in his chest. "I'm not killing myself," he assured the man, "I'm just admiring the water and the sky."

"What is there to admire? There is rain to come. But since you say so, I am relieved." He smiled at Naruto.

"I won't kill myself," Naruto said, "I love women too much."

They laughed at that, a joke between two men then the old man hobbled away. In the distance, the village clock tolled eleven times. It was time to go back. They would be worried. But Naruto was still angry and he resolved not to talk to Sakura until he had cooled down. He did want to say something he would regret later in the heat of the moment.

As he headed back to the inn, the sky darkened considerably and a portentous wind started blowing, rustling the dead leaves on the streets.

* * *

In the middle of the night, the boisterous crashing of thunder and flashes of silvery white lightning dancing in his room suddenly jolted Naruto awake. He focused his eyes for a few seconds as the dark shapes of the room became sharper and he was aware of the faint sound of breathing.

Kakashi slept in the bed beside his, his chest rising and falling peacefully, undisturbed by the noise. Naruto resisted the urge to snort at his sensei.

Naruto yawned and prepared to go back to sleep, feeling his eyelids grow heavy again. Then he heard the faint scrape of a door opening. Footsteps sounded mutely on the wooden floor then the door closed.

This aroused his interest.

Was it an assassin? Spies from the Sky Village? After they had been attacked on the stealth a few times, Naruto knew it was better to err on the careful side than not.

He tensed slightly on the bed, willing the blood to flow to his limbs until he felt the energy fill his body. There was a low groan coming from the room opposite his. Then another. Sasuke was sleeping alone tonight. Naruto wondered if he should wake him.

But then his animal instincts took over. There was no time for that. He gently pushed the covers off his body, careful not to make a sound. He quickly sought out the source of the noise. It was coming from Sakura's room.

Anxiety ran through him. Was she being attacked? If they dared to touch her, he would rip them apart. The metal doorknob was cold and mocking in his clammy hands. He lightly eased the door open. The room was dark but he saw a figure underneath the covers. And he sighed in relief. Sakura was fine.

As he turned to leave, he heard another groan. He spun around and focused. It was then that the horrible truth sank in. There was someone else in the room. Naruto drew up all the chakra he had and converged it on his eyes. Suddenly it was as if klieg lights flooded the room.

Then he wished he hadn't.

Sakura was in the bed and she wasn't alone. Sasuke was with her. And he watched in horror as they kissed fully, faces aglow with passion as he ran his strong fingers along the length of her neck. It was then that he noticed that their clothes were strewn haphazardly on the floor, like they had not been able to wait.

They were tangled in each other's arms, Sakura arching against her other lover, he imagined he heard them whispering names.

_**Get out of here.**_

His blood roared around his head and his eyes hurt from the sheer amount of chakra he was concentrating in his orbs. He was sure he would go blind from the effort.

_**Run. Run before they can hurt you any more. They lied to you. They lied! They lied!**_

It was as if he had lost all the strength in his limbs and was rooted to the spot, unable to breathe, to move, to cry. Outside thunder clapped deafeningly and lightning cast its hoary light on the two twisted amongst the sheets that Naruto, had just days ago, slept in.

Now Sasuke took his place, on the bed, in her arms, touching the places that were intimate, shared between lovers.

_**His lips on hers, tasting the sweetness that she offers so freely. They betray me! Right across my room. How many times have they stepped past and laughed at me? At my naivety? At my stupid notions of love?**_

His heart beat and beat against his ribcage yet he felt he was near death. He lost the ability to scream, to speak. Then a flash of light burst through the room and Naruto was jerked back to his senses. The taste of betrayal was strong and coppery in his mouth, sour and bitter at the same time. He tasted cold, stark rage.

_**Get away. Get away from them. Move! Run!**_

He choked back a scream and rushed from the room, slamming the door into its frame. The jarring motion echoed loudly through the room and Sasuke jerked back abruptly.

"It was Naruto!" Sakura gasped, her eyes shocked and horror-struck.

"Stay here, I'll go find him." Sasuke retrieved his clothes and hurriedly slipped into them.

Outside the rain started to fall, in flat, cold shapes, icy drops pelting into the window, sounding like glass beads shattering on a cement surface. Sakura covered her face in her hands and cried softly, tears rolling broadly off her cheeks.

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TBC. 


	2. Falling

Chapter 2: Falling 

**This is the second portion of the story. Please forgive me if it's not up to standards, what with school and holiday homework. And to make things worse I had writer's block and it is always difficult doing the first chapters. So go on do a good deed and click on the small button to make a poor girl happy.**

**Thanks to Daniel of Lorien for ur comments. U inspired me.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or Naruto.**

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Naruto 

**_The rain is falling, dripping onto my face, my cheeks, streaking my eyes so I cannot see. All I see is red; bleeding red, crimson, like the blood pouring out of Haku's body when he died._**

_**All I feel is pain, unbearable pain tearing at my chest, the same pain when the Fourth Hokage sealed the Nine-tails in my belly. I remember the crying, the screaming, the symbols seared onto my skin.**_

_**Now it is worse. I can feel my head splitting apart, as if she stabbed me over and over again with the hottest blade. I want to double over and retch but I cannot stop. The pain is unbearable, scratching and slashing from my insides, burning me alive.**_

_**When will all this end? **_

_**I just want to smash my fists into a tree, to feel the throbbing ache in my hands, to see blood streaming onto my clothes. I feel that familiar anger again, that rage rising in my chest, in my throat, choking up my vessels, flowing from every pore, seeping into my skin. I cannot control myself any longer.**_

_**I need to run. **_

_**You're a coward, Naruto, its familiar voice sneaks from my mind, sneaks from underneath the barriers I erected around myself and lurks at the edge of my mind. You will always be a failure, it laughs mockingly, its sneer piercing through my conscience. **_

_**The memories have unhooked themselves, replaying repeatedly in my head, mockingly scorning me. I want to kill him. I want to shake her, ask her, cry at her, scream at her. I want to do a million things yet I can't find the heart to do them. The violence and anger rises in me again, and I feel my control slipping, out of my fingers, slipping to the taunting beast that rests uneasily inside me. **_

_**I hear his voice again.**_

"Naruto! Stop! Naruto!" I don't stop. Something has awakened inside of me, propelling me forward, driving me. I don't want to hear, don't want to see, don't want to look at the face of someone whom I held in respect and then tore it all apart.

The roar of rain is thunderous and I vaguely see the fierce waves of water pound against stone barriers as I stumble across the wooden bridge and nearly fall. He catches up. A streak of thunder cuts the sky and lashes to the ground.

I can hear his every move. "Naruto!"

Before I can run again, he is faster. A barrier of water races up to meet me, threatening to crush me. Anger rises in my throat.

With lightning speed, I form the seal of the fire. Immediately giant licks of flame leap from my palms and slice straight towards the wall of water. I smell the tangy scent of saltwater as it falls closer. Then the flames burn with a vengeance, drying up the water so quickly it is a flash. I glimpse a silver of shock in his eyes and a grim pleasure comes over me.

I will never lose to you again.

I turn to run but a cold hand grips my leg. I look down and see a watery hand gripping me tightly. It is his spell. I have seen it used too many times on opponents too inferior and for a moment, rampant anger courses through my body that he looks down on me. Before I can react he has pounced on me, his lithe, agile body pinning me downwards.

The shock stuns me momentarily and I struggle to push him off. Raindrops streak our clothes and run into my eyes. My fist connects with his cheekbone and he grimaces in pain. Wildly I kick at his stomach.

"Get lost!" I scream. I can barely see his face.

"Just listen to what I have to say," he pants with the exertion of holding me down. He slaps me and his palm burns on my cheek. The beast rises in me again, simmering at the surface, bursting its way through. I struggle to control it but the chakra is too much, convulsing in my veins.

I imagine I can still feel Sakura's fingertips where they so lovingly grazed his skin and something snaps inside me.

With a wild yell, I push him off and he falls backwards, sliding on the slippery wet bridge. The monster in me awakens and I feel the red chakra flowing uncontrollably out of my body, out of my veins, racing towards Sasuke.

"There is nothing to say," I yell, tears mixing with rain, "nothing. Don't ever touch me again." The red chakra forms into claws and grabs him, holding him high in the air. A burst of red-hot anger sparks in me and the beast tightens its grip on Sasuke, its fingers strangling around his throat.

He chokes and struggles to breathe. I see the way his face loses colour. **_He is going to die. _**That notion flashes through my head and I scream. I see Sakura at his funeral, crying, her eyes full with tears, her slender body shaking with sobs. I see her hugging his limp, pale body, her tears dripping fragilely onto his motionless body. A searing pain races through my heart.

Then I see her turn to me, her eyes now pierced with hatred, her voice sharpened with icy contempt. I see the smouldering anger in her face, the revulsion in her words.

I see the rejection in her eyes.

My head is bursting, pounding. Blood thumps through my veins and the beast's grip loosens and lets go. Sasuke falls to the ground with a thump and inhales raggedly. His face is ashen and his eyes shocked, scared, full of fear.

_**You are a weakling after all, Naruto, it whispers to me. She loves him not you. How could anyone love a demon? You knew it didn't you?**_

_**No.**_

"I never want to see you again!" I scream as he struggles to reach me. I form the seal of invisibility and run away.

"Naruto!" he cannot see me.

I run away, my naked feet slapping coldly against slick, icy wood and stone. As I run into the fringe of the forest overlooking the Sky village, nettles and sorrels crush under my toes but I do not feel the pain. I shiver madly, my skin numbing at the cold, my teeth chattering. As I fall downwards, I am aware of pricks of pain shooting up my face and limbs.

Then the world goes black.

* * *

"What is going on?" Kakashi demanded wearily for the hundredth time that morning as Sakura bit her lip and averted her eyes from him. 

The banging and noise outside the room had awakened him. When he found out that both Sasuke and Naruto were not in their beds, he had gone to look for Sakura.

And promptly walked into an awkward situation when he found her crying.

Outside the rain was still bucketing and the sky was a tight, misty net of grey. Sasuke was still nowhere to be found and Naruto had gone missing. Sakura had not said anything since he came into the room and Kakashi was getting slightly worried.

It was unlike two of his students to go missing **_together._** Especially if they were a hothead blonde and a dark, cool Popsicle. He folded his arms across his chest and prayed they hadn't gotten into another fight.

The last time they had, Sasuke had ended up with broken ribs and gashes across his face while Naruto had to spend days in bed healing his fractured legs.

Kakashi glanced uneasily at Sakura. He had never seen her like that. Her long pink hair tangled messily across her shoulders, dark rings around her eyes. Sighing to himself, he admonished Naruto for making her so upset. He hated seeing his students tortured like that yet there was nothing he could do.

Love **_was _**blind after all. And in most cases, also deaf, mute, limp and had the beginnings of rheumatism. Kakashi swore he would somehow remain single.

Mutely, he considered passing her a tissue.

At that moment, the door burst open and a wet, wheezing Sasuke tumbled in, trailing water behind him.

"Sasuke!" Sakura cried and rushed to his side. Even when wet and bedraggled, Sasuke was a sight to behold, his dark locks pressed to his fair skin, his handsome features sharp and defined. His face was unnaturally pale and drawn, his clothes torn and soaked.

Kakashi noted the bruise on his cheek but did not say anything.

"Are you all right?" Sakura asked worriedly, her red, swollen eyes concerned. "What happened?" she cried when she saw the red tear marks on Sasuke's throat.

Kakashi watched quietly from the side as the girl helped up the drenched teenager, her anxious fingers hurriedly wiping water from his face, moving tenderly across his bruise and injuries.

"Where is Naruto?" his voice was calm and cold all of a sudden.

Their faces turned pasty white and Sakura bit back a gasp. Cold hands gripped Kakashi's heart and he wanted to shake the truth out of them. Thoughts of Naruto flashed through his mind and he struggled to keep calm.

"Tell me."

Sasuke gently held Sakura back and looked at his sensei, his dark, miserable eyes flinching and unable to fully meet Kakashi's direct gaze.

"Naruto is gone. And he won't be coming back."

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TBC. 


	3. Release

**Chapter 3: Release**

**I was stuck for a long, long, long time without ideas and was planning to discontinue. But then, inspiration came at 2am in the morning so here I am with my best. As usual, comments or conducive flaming is welcome. Just click on the cute, lil review button.**

**Notes: 'Love Laws' is credited to Arundhati Roy from her stunning debut novel, The God of Small Things.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters.**

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**Sasuke**

She was asleep now, wrapped up snugly, bright pink hair scattered across the pillow, small elfin face still contorted in a delicate expression of worry and concern.

For whom?

Sasuke could not tell. The Uchiha blood and the Sharingan had enabled him to penetrate the thickest human body, to understand the most complicated jutsus and replicate them in an instant and decipher movements that would stump most ninjas. It had helped him to manipulate, maim and murder. Yet, it was useless in the face of real human emotion.

Here, he was on his own, where he was no longer the elite ninja placed on a pedestal by his peers.

He was just himself, Uchiha Sasuke, orphaned at 6, balking at love and emotion, awkward and anti-social.

Leaning back in the hard wooden seat by the window, he inhaled deeply on the cigarette between his fingers and blew out two perfect smoke rings. His breath misted on the cold, rain-stained glass panes and evaporated. Naruto had been missing for a total of 2 days, 7 hours, 24 minutes and 6 seconds. 7… 8… 9…

Kakashi had been around the village, mostly making inquiries but nothing else could be done until the storm stopped. Until then, rain-beads washed away precious tracks in mud and rubbed clean Naruto's distinctive Kyuubi smell that Kakashi's dogs would have been able to pick up. The silver-haired ninja had not spoken to Sasuke ever since Naruto left, avoiding him studiously during mealtimes. Sasuke could see the bottled-up, unspoken rage and disappointment in the Jounin's eyes but he was too tired to deal with his Sensei right now.

_All that could wait._

Sasuke finished his cigarette and lit another one. He hated smoking but he could not help himself especially when he felt threatened or stressed, he needed nicotine. It was a habit cultivated since his parents were killed.

Dark, miserable, Avenger's eyes lurched around the room and came to rest on the small sleeping figure on the bed. Sakura. She meant so many things to him.

He watched her sleep like a boy watching a girl, like a friend watching a teammate, like a lover watching an untouchable prize. Sasuke flew these several kites at once.

He had seen the expression in her eyes when she was with Naruto.

There was happiness, he did not deny it, but he also saw emptiness. A vast, immeasurable space that stretched like a flat, low valley across the plains and deltas of her beautiful face. He had seen Naruto try to reach across it and feel the woman lying across that valley; with tender words, kisses, devotion, at first. Then later, with his anger, his increasingly frequent spirals out of control and attention-seeking antics.

And he had seen Naruto fail. It was as if there was someone else in her eyes. A stranger, someone who watched hauntingly from the mist under a hat, staring out at sea, drifting in a boat on a landless sea. Like a passer-by on the sidelines, watching curiously as two lovers kissed and whispered.

Sasuke wondered about the emptiness in bed at night, dissected it like a lizard would an ant, bothered and confused by it. Yet he could not figure it out. What exactly was it that took a part of Sakura, carving her soul from her eyes and flattening it into an un-crossable valley?

It took three weeks of sleepless nights before Sasuke got his answer.

On a cold, windy night, Sakura knocked on his door and wordlessly wrapped her arms around his waist. Sasuke opened his mouth to speak but was cut off as Sakura took his face in her hands and kissed him. Her mouth was on his but her hands were already lifted to the collar of her gown, an unspoken willingness.

They did not speak that night, burdened by the millstones of Guilt, Betrayal and Passion.

But when he looked into her eyes, he did not see that stranger that occupied her eyes. Instead, they were alive now, vibrant and moving, wet with tears and languid with a volatile mix of emotions he did not quite understand. Yet the happiness they experienced as they held each other close, skin slick with sweat and tears, melted away silently as Quietness and Pain came into the room, stacked like spoons in a dusty kitchen cabinet.

For they had broken the Love Laws. The ones that dictated who should be loved. And how. And how much.

* * *

**Kakashi **

There was nothing else he could do, Kakashi was acutely aware of that as he lurched through the rain, still searching, still looking. A rare umbrella bobbed past quickly as villagers hurried home to avoid the rainstorms. His dogs went in front of him, snots turned up as they sniffed the ground intently, diligently following trails that were quickly wearing thin. The rain streaked his hair and fell into his eyes and Kakashi knew how increasingly difficult it would be to find Naruto once the rain stopped.

He thought about going back to Konoha without Naruto. He thought about how stricken and worried the Godaime and Iruka would be if he told them. He thought about Naruto becoming a Missing-nin, how he would be hunted down and killed by Hunter-nins when the truth about his disappearance was known.

It was all too clear to Kakashi. No matter how for what reason left the village, they had to be hunted down. Kakashi had been the hunter ever since he was 7 years old. Until now, the memories of the men he had killed haunted him.

The clean, cold way his blade sliced their throat as he closed down easily on them. The fear in their eyes as they realised that there was no way out, that the only path left was Death. The frightening way they pleaded and screamed for help even as he overtook them effortlessly. In his head, Kakashi substituted those memories with Naruto's face and a bitter cocktail of emotions rose in his throat.

Again, another one of his students would be killed.

Again, he would be helpless, unable to do _anything_.

Again, he was the last to find out.

Kakashi slammed his foot against the wet mud. The mud splashed up onto his clothes and stained them.

* * *

**Naruto **

He felt like vomiting, a nauseating, sea-weedy pit that lurched and swayed at the bottom of his stomach. The heat in his body unbearable, excruciating, mutinying like defiant soldiers, spreading wantonly through his limbs and his chest, expanding horribly in his throat.

Darkness stretched in front of him, enveloping him in its slimy warmth. He stumbled uncertainly forward and his feet squelched in a disgusting soup of mud and water. He could not see or hear as if his senses were suddenly muted, clotted with cotton candy. Fear mixed with a prick of anticipation rose in his blood.

Where was he?

He could faintly hear voices, coming from a faraway place, barely making out what they were saying.

" _Weak… loss of blood… possibly attacked on his way… will call for medical help…"_

He felt unbearably weak, the power that emanated from the Kyuubi was dying out slowly, he could feel it. The heat in his chest was increasing and the pain stretched like a taut rubber band through his body. At that moment, Naruto knew he was going to die. Funny how he used to be in fear of dying and death, fear of being separated from the ones he loved, hating the moment when he was torn away from them. Now he lay in a foreign, unknown land and he was dying. With no one he knew or loved by his side.

Fate must be having a field day up there, he muttered to himself.

"**_Still pitying yourself, stupid boy?"_**

Shut up, Naruto told the Kyuubi curtly. There is nothing you can do about this.

_**The Kyuubi laughed, a deep and rich laugh that shook Naruto in his bones and chilled him.**_

_**As I expected, you're nothing but a weak, useless fool. I can't believe you're going to take me with you. One of the Nine Monsters, the one who possesses the most lethal chakra, meets his end at the hands of a foolish Chunnin! **_

I have nothing left to live for, Naruto faced down the Kyuubi, simmering in his fiery coat of scarlet, the colour of fire. The Kyuubi was a magnificent monster to behold even behind the bars that separated them. His eyes were coal black and had no pupils, tongues of fire leapt from his body and heat curled down burning Naruto's eyes and skin whenever the Kyuubi spoke.

_**And you don't want revenge?** _

Revenge. The word spewed forth from the Kyuubi and slammed hard and painful into Naruto's chest. For a moment, he forgot the pain and revelled in the pleasure of revenge. No, I cannot, Naruto forced himself to turn away from the Kyuubi.

_**And why is that?**_

Sakura will be sad, he said quietly, thinking of her crying over Sasuke's body.

_**Excuses! The Kyuubi thundered, his voice like a wind, pulling at Naruto, grabbing him tightly and slamming his against the metal bars of the cage. You're just afraid, the Kyuubi snarled, afraid of losing to Uchiha Sasuke, afraid that you're not his opponent, afraid because he can pick you up and finish you off in one move.**_

_**That's how weak you are!**_

Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Naruto screamed.

_**Because you know you can never face up to that Sharingan that can see straight through you and read your every movement! Because you will die if you fight with him! Torn apart limb to limb! To the end, the real genius was Uchiha Sasuke! You were never anything but a loser!**_

_**LOSER!**_

Something snapped inside Naruto and red heat poured forth from his chest as he screamed. "I WILL NOT LOSE TO HIM! I WILL NOT!" Bitterness and hate rose up from inside him and seeped into his skin.

_**I will give you the power and the talent to defeat him. Like he has the Sharingan, I will share my full power with you. Power that you have never experienced before. In return, you will become the strongest ninja ever to walk this earth.**_

As the Kyuubi said those words, Naruto felt his chest tear apart as an unknown sensation bubbled up inside his torso. It was as if a great bubble of power was growing and expanding inside of him, growing bigger and bigger as it gorged on his body, gobbling up his innards, his ribs, his intestines. His body was too small to hold all that power. Sooner or later, he would burst apart.

Naruto screamed in pain as the bubble forced itself from his throat and exploded outside of his body. Bright light filled his sensations as the pain in his body was replaced by strength and power. The last thing he saw before he passed out again was the sarcastic smile on the lips of the Kyuubi.

Then he sawsomething he should not have.

He saw Sakura kissing Sasuke, her hands on the collar of her nightgown.

* * *

**Sand Village**

The Kazekage watched the rainfall from his office on the highest mountain of the country, right next to the famed sand dunes of the Sand Village. Four ninjas dressed entirely in black with the crest of the Sand Village hidden cleverly in the long sleeves of their costumes knelt in front of him, water dripping from their hair, waiting patiently for his orders.

"Have you confirmed the identity of the boy who was found on our borders?"

"Yes, Kazekage," their leader, the tallest man answered, his mouth covered with a veil.

"And he is the one?"

"We are certain of that." The leader said as he proceeded to report what had happened at the Rain Village's hospital.

"Good, good," the Kazekage stroked his chin and nodded at the leader, "Have your men move him into the secret rooms by tonight. Make sure no harm comes to him. He will be an important pawn."

"We understand." The ninjas bowed low and disappeared from the room, leaving behind only a faint cloud that indicated their presence in the room. Walking to the map that hung on the right wall of the office, the Kazekage ran his fingers across the area of land marked out with the words 'Konoha'.

Laughing silently to himself, he said softly, "Yes, yes, all the pieces are falling into place nicely."

* * *

TBC. 


	4. A Proposal

**Author's Notes: It's been a REALLY, REALLY LONG while, hope I haven't gone rusty or bored anyone to sleep yet. Once again, I'm appalled by my own sporadic updates.**

**Disclaimer: Last I checked, I wasn't a male, wasn't called Kishimoto and didn't own a kick ass series called Naruto. Here we go!**

* * *

**Naruto**

He awoke with a horrible headache that split his head into two, still haunted by images of a disgusting betrayal and fire licking at the heels of the Kyuubi. Under his eyelids, he was surprised that he could see bright buttery sunlight dancing on the wooden planks of the floor and filtering onto the blankets.

**_Why should you be surprised? The sun doesn't stop its cycle just because you've been betrayed. The world keeps on spinning and people go on living. One heart break, one betrayal doesn't change anything. Blood still moves in your veins._**

He forced his eyes open and checked to make sure he was fully dressed. He was but his old clothes were nowhere to be seen.

"Finally awake? That's good. I was worried that the Kyuubi power might be too much for you to handle," a soft, silky voice slid into his thoughts and he jerked around.

A man dressed in long, white flowing robes sat regally in a chair opposite the bed, his face shaded by a huge hat. The outfit looked vaguely familiar. Two ninjas dressed entirely in black stood next to him, their faces covered by masks that blotted out their features. Naruto tensed as he felt the recognisable tint of danger crawl into the room.

"Who are you?"

The man laughed, a sound that did not reflect any genuine amusement. "You don't recognise me? I'm the Kazekage of the Sand Village."

A small spider of shock bit into Naruto. He did remember the Kazekage. The Sand Village and Konoha had always shared an uneasy relationship. The two countries' relationships remained marginally better after the Godaime had taken over but there was still tension between them, considering they were the two strongest villages.

"I've heard a lot about you," the Kazekage continued, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "And I think we may be able to help each other."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. He did not know much about the Kazekage but instinct told him that this man was not simple.

The ninja in black leant down and passed a scroll to the Kazekage who unrolled it and flung it at Naruto. He caught it effortlessly and looked down curiously to see what it was. "This scroll was stolen from Konoha by one of our spies. If you still don't recognise the handwriting, maybe I should tell you that it was written by the Godaime."

Naruto read it silently, disbelief rising in his chest. He had no doubt it was written by the Baba, he recognised her handwriting as clearly as he would Jiraiya's.

"So what?" Naruto asked as defiantly as he could, levelling his eyes at the Kazekage, trying to still the emotions running riot in his heart.

"You have two options now, really," the Kazekage said, rising two fingers and coolly returning Naruto's glare. Naruto had the uncomfortable feeling of being dissected systematically like an insect. "One, you play dead like it says in the letter and disappear forever, saving Konoha a lot of trouble from sending hunter-nins to kill you."

Then he kept quiet. Naruto impatiently rose to the bait, "Or what?"

"Or you take revenge on Uchiha Sasuke and Konoha for betraying and abandoning you. How about that, Uzumaki Naruto?"

* * *

**Konoha Village**

"I'm sorry but the Godaime does not want to see anybody right now," the secretary sitting outside the Godaime's office ventured timidly at the sight of the fierce-looking, flustered ninja.

He narrowed his eyes at her and stalked past, desperate for answers, the scroll that had been earlier dispatched by the Ninja Office clutched tightly in his fist.

"Godaime!" he shouted as he banged open her door and thundered in, the helpless secretary trailing anxiously behind, trying to stop him.

From where she sat, the Godaime did not even flinch. Scrolls were open on her desk and she was studying them intently. On seeing him, she quickly swept them aside.

"Godaime! I'm so, so sorry but he just…" the secretary blubbered nervously.

"It's okay," she waved the girl out as Iruka stood at the end of her desk, chest heaving and breath coming in shards.

As soon as the door closed, he slammed his palms onto the wooden desk. "What is this?" he flung the scroll onto the table between them.

She leaned forward calmly and formed a steeple with her fingers. "It says exactly on the scroll."

"WHAT!"

"I'm telling you exactly what you heard two minutes ago, Iruka. Naruto was reported missing from the mission in the Sky Village. He could not be found after **_repeated _**extensive searches of the area. He has now officially been declared a missing-nin and will be killed on sight."

The teacher's face paled considerably and he stumbled backwards. "But… but that's not possible," he gasped, raking a hand through his short, spiky bangs, "Naruto would never run away from a mission!"

Silence hung in the room before Iruka shattered it with a yell, "You of all people should know that! Where's Kakashi! Why did he not take care of Naruto? I shall go look for him myself…!"

"CALM DOWN!" the Godaime shouted. That uncharacteristic move stunned Iruka and he finally seemed to realise that he had been rude to a Hokage.

He slumped back in his seat and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "It's just that the thought of Naruto…" he broke off, unable to continue.

"I understand how you feel. But as a Hokage, I cannot shield anybody from the laws of this village and that includes Naruto. It's a fact that he left the mission halfway and that he has been missing for a week. Under those circumstances, he has to be labelled a missing-nin."

The room grew quiet again as thoughts slipped into their minds and unspoken words made the air grow heavy. The incense that the Godaime burned in her office clogged their nostrils.

"Did Kakashi say anything else? Why Naruto ran away without saying a word?" Iruka's voice cracked midway and he looked away to stop the Godaime from seeing the emotions scudding across his face like dark clouds on a grey day.

_Why did you leave without saying anything to me? Have I been blinded by my own selfish desires and failed to see you were hurting? All those nights snacking on ramen together, your eyes grew distant but you brushed off my concerns. What, Naruto, what can be so bad that you have to run away in the middle of a mission?_

The sound of a brush being dipped in ink was the reply.

Iruka looked up to see the Godaime printing words onto a sheet of clean white paper. Her wrist flicked delicately as beautiful black characters appeared. Finally, she sealed it with the red seal of the Hokage and laid it to her side.

Then she laid the brush down and finally looked up, her eyes serious and taut, "How much do you know really about the three of them?"

His eyes were puzzled and she answered the silent question in his eyes. "He said something about Sakura and Sasuke."

* * *

**Naruto**

"Huh?" Naruto asked, stunned, doing an extremely convincing imitation of an idiot. Had the Kazekage just mentioned revenge?

The Kazekage stood up and his robes swished softly behind him. "Don't act so surprised. I'm sure you want to take revenge on them as well."

He narrowed his eyes and regarded the older man coldly, "What I think or wish is none of your business."

"Indeed, it isn't, I have much better things to do than concern myself with your thoughts and your emotional health," the man walked to the only window in the room, paused and stared out at the large expanse of sandy desert that stretched out before him. "But I'll have to warn you though," he said quietly, after a pause, "with you gone, the genius of Konoha will certainly be Uchiha Sasuke and no one will even remember you anymore."

The embers of rage started burning in Naruto's chest and doubts crept into his mind. The words of the scroll flashed in his head again. His chest and throat knotted with unspoken anger.

"So what if you have the Kyuubi?" he continued softly and gently as if humming a lullaby, "it's nothing right now compared to the Sharingan. Uchiha Sasuke can control the Sharingan perfectly, bend the eye to his will. And you? Can you **_even_** get the Kyuubi to listen to you?"

Naruto opened his mouth but nothing came out and his jaw worked against empty air. What the Kazekage had said was true and he realised he had no way of refuting it. His cheeks burned with shame and turned red.

"That is none of your business!"

"What you really want, Uzumaki Naruto, is revenge but you're much too weak to get it right now. Let's say, I make you a deal."

A pause loaded with meaning hung in the air.

"Why should I even listen?" Naruto challenged, getting up from the bed.

The Kazekage laughed easily.

"Because I can help you become stronger than a Kekkei Genkai, stronger than anyone else in Konoha."

* * *


End file.
